The Warriors had an opportunity to put some distance between themselves and the rest of the pack in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, and they took advantage of it with three wins over league rivals last week.

Westmont blanked second-division clubs Lincoln and Del Mar, then knocked off Branham to push its record to 9-1 in the division.

The three wins helped the Warriors open up a two-game lead over second-place Independence (6-2-1) and a four-game lead over third-place Branham (5-5). Rounding out the standings: Pioneer 3-4-1, Piedmont Hills 4-6, Del Mar 2-7, and Lincoln 2-7.

Senior third sacker Mike Gorski had three hits to drive in three runs in Westmont's 9-0 win over Lincoln to open the week. Brad Davis singled and doubled to drive in two runs for the Warriors, and Ricky Meinhold tripled home a pair of runs.

Mike Sato picked up his first mound win of the year as Westmont beat the Lions on a one-hit shutout.

The Warriors scored the only run Sato needed with one in the first, then broke the game open with five in the second.

It was more of the same two days later against Del Mar. The Warriors took an early lead with two runs in the first, then won it 13-0 with five in the fourth and six in the fifth to win on the 10-run rule.

It was another one-hit shutout for the Warriors with senior southpaw Brian Gellman getting the win in this one to even his record at 1-1.

Gorski homered and doubled to drive in four runs for Westmont. Mitch Monroe singled and homered to plate a pair of runs in the win.

Meinhold doubled and singled twice, and Jimmy Stevenson singled and doubled. Brandon Simon had two hits to drive in two runs, and Dan Weller had two hits. Sato drove in three runs in the win.

Meinhold tossed a six-hitter in Westmont's 8-1 win over Branham to finish the week. The junior hurler pushed his record to 5-0 with the victory. He blanked the Bruins through three innings before losing his shutout in the fifth. But he finished strong with two scoreless innings to clinch the win.

Westmont went in front early with a run in the second and two in the third. After Branham scored in the fifth, Westmont answered with five in the home half of the frame to take control of the game.

Stevenson and Weller led the bat attack with two hits apiece for the Warriors. Stevenson, Sato and Davis drove in two runs each.

Westmont will try to maintain its winning ways this week. The Warriors were to host Pioneer on April 8 and will head to Independence on April 10 for a key 3:30 p.m. game.


Panthers lose three

It was a rough week for the Prospect baseball team in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League. The Panthers lost a 3-2 nailbiter to Mt. Pleasant, then were pounded 11-1 by Oak Grove and 7-3 by Leland. Prospect is now 1-8 in the division and 4-11 for the year.

Steven Vidal was cruising along in a scoreless battle against Mt. Pleasant in a Monday game to open the week. The Prospect hurler tossed four shutout innings before getting touched for three runs in the fifth.

The Panthers answered right back with two in the sixth, though, to stay in the game. Ted Piggins walked and Aaron Jacks was hit by a pitch before Joey Puccinelli doubled over the center fielder's head to knock them both home.

Kyle Bonvechio came on in relief of Vidal in the seventh and retired the side in order, but the Panthers went down quietly in the bottom of the seventh, losing the one-run decision.

Prospect could manage just three hits in the game: the double by J. Puccinelli and singles by Bonvechio and Tony Puccinelli.

The Panthers lost in five innings to Oak Grove on Wednesday. Jacks singled home a run in the first inning, but Steven Kong's double was the only other hit for Prospect that day.

The Prospect bats were quiet again on Friday against Leland. The Panthers were held hitless for six innings before Bonvechio doubled in the seventh to break up the Leland no-hitter. Jacks singled to put runners at the corners; then J. Puccinelli rocked a three-run homer over the right field fence, his second home run of the season.

The Panthers will try to get the bats working again when they return home on April 9 to host Santa Teresa at 3:30 p.m. Prospect will hit the road on April 11 to visit Willow Glen at 3:30 p.m.


Falcons win two

Bret Behnke and Chris Hornberger did more than just pitch wins for the Saratoga Falcons last week—they also helped themselves out at the plate.

Behnke and Hornberger each came through with big hits and were winning pitchers for the Falcons last week in two victories in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

Behnke tossed a complete game, scattering eight hits, in Saratoga's 6-5 win over Monta Vista to open the week. The senior right-hander pushed his mound record to 3-1 with the win.

Jeff Sato singled and doubled for Saratoga, and Behnke and Jeff Lyu also ripped two-baggers.

The Falcons staked Behnke to an early lead with three runs in the first. Saratoga and Monta Vista matched runs in the third, and the Falcons added two more in the sixth to go up 6-1. The Matadors rallied for four in the top of the seventh, but Saratoga hung on to win by one.

Hornberger had three hits to knock in two runs and was also the winning pitcher for the Falcons in a 10-4 win over Homestead on Saturday. Hornberger evened his record at 1-1 with the win.

Lyu doubled and singled for the Falcons. Sato doubled, and Tyler Rothenberg had two hits.

The Falcons pushed their league record to 5-3 with the two wins and nudged their season mark to 8-7. Saratoga was to visit Lynbrook on April 8 and will host Santa Clara on April 10, 3:30 p.m.